Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 625: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of personnel who joined the Defence Forces from 1994 onwards as enlisted personnel; the number of these who are currently serving; the breakdown by male and female; the terms of their enlistment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34441/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The statistical information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table.

The original terms of enlistment were set out in Defence Force Regulation A.10 which stipulates that personnel enlisted into the Defence Forces after 1 January 1994 will serve for five years in the Permanent Defence Force and seven years in the Reserve Defence Force. Personnel are not permitted to extend their service beyond this initial period unless they fulfil certain specified criteria. Personnel who qualify to have their term of service extended will have the term of their original enlistment extended for such period or periods as will make up a total of not more than 12 years service reckoned from the date of their original attestation. The initial period of extension will be from five years to nine and then from nine years to 12.

In 2004 PDFORRA submitted a claim under the conciliation and arbitration scheme for a further review of the terms of service applying to personnel enlisting in the Permanent Defence Force after 1 January 1994. Following detailed and prolonged discussion on this claim, a set of revised criteria has been agreed. The criteria meet PDFORRA's desire to provide longer careers in the Permanent Defence Force while continuing to address the Government's previously stated objective of having an appropriate age profile to meet the challenges of a modern defence force. The criteria require that any person re-engaging must be able to continue to operate at their current level both at home and overseas on an ongoing basis. Re-engagements will be subject to the individual soldier meeting specified criteria in regard to physical fitness, medical category, successful completion of military courses of instruction, service overseas and conduct ratings. PDFORRA is in the process of balloting its members on the agreed criteria.